Weather vanes and weather vane-like displays are well known in the prior art. A number of references showing various types of weather vanes and wind driven displays will now be discussed.
Bryan Pat. U.S. Pat. No. 160,150 teaches a weather vane mounted on top of a vertical pole B. A cap-like member E resting on ball bearings as shown in FIG. 5 is threaded onto the staff B. Another cap-like member D is mounted over the item E and affixed at its top portion to the tube member V. The pointer or arrow of the wind vane is rigidly connected to the tubular member V which rotates with the wind on the ball bearings via the combination of the cap D and bearing retaining member cap E.
Turner U.S. Pat. No. 215,028 teaches another weather van that is mounted on a vertical pole, as shown in FIG. 1. Although not itemized or discussed, it appears that on the lower portion of the rod cap A a unitary collar-like stop member is fixed in position on the rod cap A. Also, it appears that a unitary bushing member is either rigidly attached or placed on top of the stop member. As shown in FIG. 2, the weather vane has a centrally located hole, for permitting the weather vane to be slipped over the top of the rod cap A, down the rod and over the bushing to rest upon its lower surface on the top edge of the stop member. In this manner, the weather vane is able to rotate about the rod A for indicating the direction of the prevailing wind.
Steffes U.S. Pat. No. 1,122,434 teaches the mounting of a weather vane 6 upon a lightning rod 4. Note that the retention of the weather vane 6 is similar to that disclosed for the weather vane of Turner U.S. Pat. No. 215,028. More specifically, the weather vane 6 is designed to slip over the lightning rod 4 and to be retained thereon via a single piece stop and bushing assembly.
Smith U.S. Pat. No. 1,953,272 discloses an advertising display that includes a mannequin-like figure and associated mechanical mechanism for making the arms and legs of the figure move along with an advertising display, advertising beer in this example, through connection to a wind driven propeller 23, as shown. The entire display is mounted on the top of a vertical pole 1.
Simmons U.S. Pat. No. 2,965,991 discloses a wind driven sign and wind vane mounted upon a vertically oriented pole 24. The mounting assembly is positioned over a vertical rod.
Mills U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,456 teaches a wind indicator for mounting upon a vertically oriented staff, in different configurations as shown in FIGS. 1-9. All of the rotatable members must be mounted by placing them over the top or bottom of the various vertically oriented portions of the rods utilized in the different configurations.
Causey U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,715 discloses a weather vane assembly for mounting upon a light pole. In one embodiment of the invention the assembly includes a commutator mechanism as shown in FIG. 7 for permitting electricity to be supplied to a light bulb 36a located at the tip of an arrow of the weather vane. The fixture disclosed must be mounted over the top portion of the light pole 12, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 7. Accordingly, a two piece light pole 12 must be utilized.
Kupperman et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,656 discloses a wind driven toy having a split ring mounting member 38, for permitting the toy to be mounted onto handlebars 46 of a bicycle as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This mounting feature substantially rigidly secures the toy to the handlebars 46 for permitting a bicyclist to cause the propeller 22 to turn due to the prevailing wind or the forward motion of the bicycle creating a wind effect.